Art history 211

  Seated Figure (Djenné peoples)   This terracotta of Djenné peoples figure is posed in a somewhat, unnatural way. The figure is seated and hunched, it is pulling on knee up which wraps around its upper body. Wrapped around its bent leg are both arms clasping each other. The figure’s head is resting on the raised knee. Because the posture is so hunched, it gives off a meditative vibe. Also the expression of the face matches this seeming to be calm and content, even with its exaggerated features like its large ears, expanded eyes, and long mouth. These are all features that were well used stylistically in other works from this African region. On the hunched back are bumps and engraved holes. These decorative add on are organized vertically along the back. The seated figure is about 25/4 centimeters by 29.9 centimeters. There are over 1000 figures that are similar to this piece. These objects were found before the colonial period, in the 13 th century....

  This pendent has four sides with images painted on them. The images painted contain religious material that relate to Christian subject matter. The main panel of the jewelry shows the Virgin Mary holding baby Christ, while sitting, looking at the viewer. Surrounding them are Archangels holding swords. The styles of the icons have think bold lines and clean coloring. The Christ child is looking at the Virgin Mary with love in his eyes while holding the Book of the Gospel. The child is also gesturing of benediction with his hand. On the outer panel, which is the interior of the cover, Saint George is riding horseback while slaying a dragon. Because Saint George and the Virgin Mary Saints are displayed together on this diptych pendent, is shows the very close relationship between these two saints. They have a close relationship because Saint George was a soldier of God and the Virgin Mary’s constant companion. Seeing these religious icons together in art was very po...

  This painting has a very distinctive technique used to create a landscape. The technique is called haboku, which means splashed ink or broken ink. This technique became very popular in 1420-1506, because of master Sesshū Tōyō. The painting does not have a name, most know it as “Sesshū”. Medium used for this piece is simply just ink on paper. The scroll is about 148.6 centimeters by 32.7 centimeters. The artist who took influence from Sesshū was named Bokushō. The process they did to create this landscape was by applying wet, dark ink in a rapidly fashion to paper. To get the shapes that were desired, the artist had to have light brush strokes to make the soft, and diffused effect. In the piece there are no harsh lines or forced figures, but still creates a prominent image of a landscape. The haboku technique requires a lot of patience and Zen. Often, the artists who use this technique are Zen Buddhist; they paint this way to celebrate their mindset. The technique...

  The Night-Shining White is from the Chinese culture by the artist, Han Gan. This piece was created during the Tang Dynasty period (618-907) in 750. Mediums used for the art was just ink and paper, made into a hand scroll. The scroll is about 30.8 centimeters by 34 centimeters. The piece resembles a horse from the Tang Dynasty. The artist, Han Gan was famous for painting such a well-done horse and also the spirit it gives off. What makes the horse so alive is the movement that Han Gan captured in its pose. The horse is positioned in a side profile, with a very aggressive look on its face. What make its face so intense are the burning eye effect, flared nostrils, hair movement, and the open mouth. Also, the body appears to be strong. The legs and hooves are in a dancing motion, giving it a real action pose. The horse is supposed to represent a leading horse of the Tang Dynasty. It is a charger of the Emperor Xuanzong. The horse is so powerful looking so that it emb...

  In this piece the Shiva is meant to show off a divine energy. The divine energy comes from the cosmos of the Hindu religion. The philosophy from Hindu religion is that all things have to come to a natural end so then can be new again. The Shiva is the agent that brings the end to that things can be reborn. This artifact of the Shiva shows the audience the ideal physical qualities of the figure.   Even though the Shiva is a still statue, it still gives off movement as if it was dancing. It is dancing within the cosmic circle of fire, which is the constant and synchronized creation and destruction of the universe. The cosmic circle of fire the surrounds Shiva represents the encapsulated cosmos of space, mass, and time. This is an endless cycle of extinction and renewal, which moves to the beat of the Shiva’s rhythm of his drum and footsteps. The details of the figure show the movement of Shiva using the drum with his hands with his power, and his foots cre...